II. RITUALISM rs A PERVERSION OF THE GOSPEL. (Ver. 7.) For Paul would not: admit that the ritualism imported by the Judaizers into Galatin was ll.nothcr gospel; in his view it was uo gospel, but a perversion of it. For if I am told I can be saved' only by becoming a Jew, by being circumcised, and keeping the Old Testament ritual,' and that I cannot be saved by faith alone, I am Ollprived of the glad tidings which Christ's gospel gives, and projected upon a path of real self-righteousness. It is tho same with modern ritualism. Salvation by ceremonies is the antithesis of salvation by grace. It is a perversion of God's good news to mau and must result in disappointment. Ilf. WE OUGHT, LIKE PAUL, TO BE SO SURE OF THE GOSPEL WE PROCLAIM AS TO BK Th'TOLER.U"T oF ANY OTHER. (Ver. S.) Paul had got such a grasp of the gospel of grace, the self-sacrifice of Christ was so sure and so sufficient a foundation for man's: hope, that be could not tolerate any other message. Even should he himself chan"e bis views in the course of years and come to Galatia with another gospel, or should :n angel from heaven with an aureole of light proclaim another gospel than the one Paul' bad at first proclaimed, then is the apostle ready to call down upon bis perverted self. or the perverted angel the curse of God. Now, this intolerant side of truth really· springs from the snre grasp we have of it. It is inseparable from intense conviction.' Of course, it is quite distinct from the intolerance which dictates persecution. Paul would not persecute; but he would leave the perverts in the hands of God that he' might deal with them. Persecution is devoting men to the curse of men ; the true' intolerance contents itself with leaving the offenders in the hancls of a holy and just: God. • IV. THE BEING WHO MISLEADS HIS FELLOWS ABOUT SALVATION DESERVES .THE. CuRSE OF GoD. (Ver. 9.) Paul has not been rashly betrayed into intolerance of spirit. He had expressed himself to the same effect on a previous occasion, probably during biif second visit to Ga.latia. (Acts xviii. 23). He is now prepared to stick to his anathema.' He feels in his heart of hearts that the person who trifles with the eternal interests. of others and proclaims a false method of salvation deserv,;,s the Divine curse. The gospel Paul had preached was the gospel of free grace. No simpler temis of pardon' and acceptance can be imagined than are offered in the gospel ; it is only devil's work which those persons manage to perform who complicate salvation with rites and ceremonies, making it less easy than God intends. Having regard, then, to the eternal interests at stake, it must be admitted that the deceiver of souls deserves the curse of Heaven. How solemn a responsibility it is to guide men to God! • How clear and unmistakable should the plan of salvation be made I How deep the guilt and how dire the doom of those who pervert the gospel! • V. THE SLAVE OF CmnsT WILL NOT BE THE SLAVE OF PUBLIU OPINION. (Ver. 10.) Paul was undoubtedly a man of great breadth of view and sympathy. It was a principle with him to please bis neighbour for his good to edification (Rom. xv. 2). He was ready to become all things to all men in the hope of saving some (1 Cor. ix. 22 ; x. 33). And the Judaizers thought that this pleasing of men on Paul's part woulJ lead him to accept of their ritualism and give up his gospel if their policy was onco thoroughly popular. In short, their notion was that Paul was so enamoured of popu- larity that he would bow to public opinion at all hazards. Now, this is what he repu- diates in this last verse. "Do I now," he asks, "win over to myself men or Goel? Or am I seeking to be an object of man's good will? No; and there is a decisive reason against any such efforts. If I were still pleasing men, if l had not resigned the hope of human favour and of human approval, I should not be the slave of Christ." 'l'bis leads us into the wide subject of our attitude towards public opinion. Now, our danger undoubtedly is in over-estimating it. Our safety lies in being slaves to Christ. His opinion is to be our one simple concern, and public opinion may coincide with or differ from his, but we must hold firmly by our obligations to the one Master, and all other things will range themselves rightly around us. 'l'he uncompromising slave q~ Christ will be found to be after all the most considerate servant of mon.-R. M. E. ·
Vers. 11-24.-Paul's persomx,l grasp of the gospel. Paul, as we have seen; is so, certain of the gospel of grace being the only gospel for sinful men, that he is prepared to pronounce au anathema. on all who preach any o~her gospel., Lest it might be 0U. J, 1-24,] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 55